The Strength of Desire
by The WildCard
Summary: This is one of my oldest works - I've transferred it from my old account and it tells the tale of Vegeta's quest to become a Super Saiya-jin
1. Agony

I did this a long time ago but decided to re-release it. This story is kind of strange in that it doesn't have a plot. It's simple a collection of stories from the actual Dragonball timeline featuring Vegeta. Basically, I've tried to capture key moments in the series in word form. Ah well. There you go! Please, R+R! ****  
  
Vegeta pounded his fist into the Earth once more, infuriated by his failure; infuriated by the fact that he still wasn't the strongest Saiya- jin in existence. The wind whistled over his head to his disgust. He hated virtually everything and everyone.  
  
"Damn you, Kakarotto!" screamed Vegeta in rage as slowly began to pick himself up from the floor. "I just don't understand it. Why can't I achieve what Kakarotto has? I'm the Prince of all Saiya-jins for God's sake!"  
  
In a fit of temper Vegeta began to power up aimlessly. His head raised towards the Heavens. The red aura that Vegeta had now become so accustomed to seeing was present once more as it covered his body like a blanket. Sparks of Ki flew from the natural born warrior causing endless chaos to the surrounding landscape. He snarled in spite and, without second thought, shot a few blasts of Ki at a pile of rubble directly adjacent to himself. As the rocks exploded violently a smile was brought back to Vegeta's face.  
  
"I will prove that I am the greatest warrior in the Universe!" smirked Vegeta evilly. "Kakarotto will bow before me and plead for his life to be spared!"  
  
His obsession with Goku was well documented. It plagued his mind, soul and inner peace that Goku was still stronger than he was. The fact that Goku had transformed against Frieza tortured Vegeta mentally. Kakarotto had never desired to become a Super Saiya-jin before, whereas Vegeta had always proclaimed that he would rise up and achieve the goal. The success of Goku hung over him like a cloud.  
  
The rain poured down overhead as evil intentions clouded the abyss that Vegeta called his mind. Each drop of water that fell from the sky felt like a waterfall. The booming splash of the rain filled Vegeta with rage. He was sick of Goku, sick of rain, and sick of life.  
  
"Dad, have you fixed the gravatron in that ship yet?" queried Bulma.  
  
"Err, yeah, I did it last night," responded Dr Briefs, as he pulled his head from his desk and looked at his Daughter.  
  
"Good. At least that's one thing that Vegeta can't complain about then," smiled Bulma. Every time she said his name she seemed to feel Goosebumps travel up her arm. There was something about the Saiya-jin Prince that obviously appealed to Bulma. "Hurry back, Vegeta!"  
  
Dr Briefs scratched his head and played with his moustache as Bulma gazed out of the window, her facial expression suggested that she was now deep in a daydream. It didn't take a genius to work out what she was thinking about!  
  
"Bulma, why do you like Vegeta so much?" smiled Dr Briefs.  
  
"Like him?" blushed Bulma. "What ever gave you that idea?"  
  
Dr Briefs continued to smile as Bulma's look of embarrassment turned to one of wonder and awe.  
  
"There's just something about him," she started. "I know he's got an ego the size of this Planet, but still...He's kinda cute!"  
  
The old man fell off his chair in surprise at this startling revelation. Bulma stifled a giggle out of the incident, and then returned to her look out post.  
  
The hours passed without Bulma noticing. All she cared about was the return of the Saiya-jin Prince. She was like a little schoolgirl once more; smitten with the new kid on the block. This guy didn't have a motorbike; he didn't wear leather or anything like that. Simply put, what attracted Bulma to Vegeta was the fact that he was a bad ass! Everything he did or said mirrored this image. He was Vegeta; nobody could tell him what to do.  
  
"He's back!" cried Bulma in a joyful burst of pleasure. "I'll go and tell him about the ship!"  
  
Bulma opened the front door just as Vegeta descended from the sky. He looked at Bulma without second thought and raised his nose. The rain smashed the concrete time and time again as Vegeta walked through the front door of the house, virtually ignoring Bulma.  
  
"Vegeta! Dad has fixed the ship! You can train in there tomorrow!" exclaimed Bulma excited by his return. Bulma flung her arms around the Saiya-jin Prince and began to laugh gently.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, woman? I'm in no mood to celebrate! And what gives you the right to concern yourself in my dealings?" proclaimed Vegeta harshly.  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts, woman!" smirked Vegeta. "What's all this fuss about me training in that ship tomorrow? I'm going in there now!"  
  
Bulma shrugged his shoulders in despair. If it was anyone else but Vegeta talking to her like that she'd probably have caused a riot, but it wasn't...She had to put up with his arrogance and disregard for others.  
  
"I have to better than Kakarotto," mumbled Vegeta to himself as he charged towards the ship. "Kakarotto, Kakarotto, Kakarotto."  
  
The repetition of his name seemed to fill Vegeta with extra energy. His life was about surpassing Goku. He had to better than the second class Saiya-jin. After all, Vegeta was from the royal bloodline...What right had Kakarotto got that said he could be better than a Prince? None. None indeed.  
  
Vegeta pushed the button on the side panel that opened the door. He entered the ship and gazed around aimlessly. All Vegeta saw was a training ground. He didn't see anything else. His goal to become better than Kakarotto had spurred him on, believing him to think that the only point in life was to train. Maybe he was right. The fact that he remembered a certain conversation he'd had with his Father a long time ago added to his discontent at not becoming a Super Saiya-jin. He remembered how his Father had told him about the all power Super Saiya-jins and the emotion that his Father provoked from him. It was his boyhood dream; to become a Super Saiya- jin.  
  
"I will claim the title I so badly deserve!" snarled Vegeta. "I am the greatest Saiya-jin that ever lived!"  
  
It wasn't long before the gravatron was set to 400XG. Push up after push up Vegeta pushed his body to the limit. Up and down he went, feeling that each one of the push-ups would be his last...But he kept going. His desire to reach the level of Super Saiya-jin wouldn't let him stop. He grimaced in pain, his body was suffering and telling him to stop; but his heart just wouldn't allow him any rest. He looked down at the ground as he continued to train, the sweat had formed a little puddle underneath his frustrated body and surely it was only a matter of time before his muscles gave up on him.  
  
Bulma and Dr Briefs stared through the window of the ship in amazement. Dr Briefs couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him. He rubbed his glasses in an attempt to confirm that Vegeta was in fact hanging on in there at 400 times Earth's normal gravity.  
  
"I'm a Saiya-jin!" cried Vegeta, in attempt to motivate himself. "I won't quit! Not now, not ever! I was born into a warrior race that was destined to rule the Universe! I will stand up and be counted! I will become a Super Saiya-jin!"  
  
His words were bold, noble and full of heart. It was his desire that kept him going.  
  
"Two thousand!" screamed Vegeta in a delirious delight that shocked both Bulma and Dr Briefs. "That's enough push ups now...It's time for the real stuff!"  
  
Vegeta's words sent the onlookers into a frenzy. What the hell did he mean "the real stuff"? He'd just been training at 400 X Earth's normal gravity for God's sake. Looks of shock, pure horror and amazement were moulded into one of the faces of Bulma and her Dad.  
  
Vegeta shot a blast of Ki around the ship and desperately began to dodge his own attack. The thing seemed to be speeding up as the aspiring Super Saiya-jin seemed to move faster than Bulma and Dr Briefs could follow!  
  
"Holy..." muttered Dr Briefs. His eyes were as wide as they could possibly get. He'd never seen someone move this fast before, not even Goku. Then again, he hadn't seen Goku in his Super Saiya-jin form. "Surely, he's...he's got to become a Super Saiya-jin, soon?"  
  
Their attention was once again attracted to the intensity of Vegeta's training as the entire room was set alight by Vegeta's attempt to stop his own attack...  
  
"I've had enough of this!" shrieked Vegeta. "Die!"  
  
Vegeta threw a massive beam of Ki at his previous effort causing the entire room to erupt with a violent explosion. The roof of the ship blew off leaving Vegeta lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. His clothes were ripped to shreds and all that remained of his Saiya-jin armour was a piece of blue material that was seemingly wielded to his body.  
  
"Vegeta! Are you alright?" cried out Bulma, worried by the state that Vegeta had got himself into.  
  
"Of course I'm alright, woman!" spurted Vegeta heavily as he picked himself from off the ground once more. "Hey, you!"  
  
Vegeta pointed directly at Dr Briefs.  
  
"Me?" asked Dr Briefs, worried by the tone of Vegeta's voice.  
  
"Well, I don't see anyone else standing behind you!" exclaimed Vegeta. "I want this ship fixed quickly. I must continue with my training. See to it!"  
  
"Err...Ok," said Bulma's Father hesitantly.  
  
"I intend to venture off into space sometime soon. Out there I won't be hindered by idiots like you!" sparked Vegeta with venom.  
  
The Saiya-jin Prince brushed aside Dr Briefs as Bulma gazed on at her idol, still in adoring admiration for him. For the first time, Vegeta looked into the deep blue eyes that Bulma possessed. It was as if he was crying out for some help, but his pride just wouldn't let his words utter the words. Bulma felt the passionate tension between them and smiled at him. She now knew that there was something there. Vegeta did actually have passionate feelings just like any other person alive. Bulma sighed indefinitely as the wind picked up once more; Vegeta flew away to finish his day alone. 


	2. Victory?

The asteroids pelted down from the thick black sky as Vegeta made a futile attempt to dodge those godforsaken rocks. He couldn't help but remember that sight back on Namek; the sight of Kakarotto battling Frieza as a Super Saiya-jin. It had taken him quite a long time to accept that Kakarotto was something that he wasn't; something that he feared he could never become, but that was the worst case scenario.  
  
One by one Vegeta began to ruthlessly eliminate the monstrous stones being literally thrown into his path. Scrambling across the sky and panting for breath, Vegeta tossed Ki blast after Ki blast in an effort to save his ship, but more importantly his life.  
  
"Oh no!" shrieked Vegeta, as out of nowhere the biggest asteroid descended on him.  
  
The Saiya-jin's eyes widened, his palms became that little bit sweater and he began to feel the pressure that this gigantic rock was forcing down upon him. Vegeta launched everything he had left at the asteroid fearing that it may be his final training session. The rock exploded slowly, but the damage had already been done; Vegeta dropped to the floor exhausted because of his efforts. The blood and sweat swirled around on his face creating a waterfall effect, but one that dripped ever so slowly. The once proud suit of Saiya-jin armour was now demoted to nothing more than shreds.  
  
"Kakarotto!" pleaded Vegeta in a desperate agony. His cries darkened the night air. Vegeta's obvious obsession with Goku had pushed him over the edge. "No more! That's it! I don't care!"  
  
The Saiya-jin Prince let out one final scream of pain as he released his anger that was generated because of Kakarotto's success. Vegeta exploded with power as the Heavens trembled and the ground shuddered violently. The once red aura of Ki sparked a vibrant shade of yellow, as Vegeta's power became apparent to anything and everything. The immense rage that everyone had seen for so long in the eyes of Vegeta was now being released in a gush of power. The entire Planet mirrored the Super Saiya-jin's new-found strength as it to exploded in a spurt of golden Ki. Prince Vegeta had reached his goal...Finally.  
  
Vegeta arose from the floor, completely rejuvenated and full of life. The blood still poured from every conceivable part of his body, but it didn't matter anymore. The only thing that did in fact matter to Vegeta was the fact that his hair now shone just as Kakarotto's did, his eyes were now the same colour as Kakarotto's were and the fact that he was now a Super Saiya- jin; just as Kakarotto was.  
  
"I am the greatest Saiya-jin alive!" boasted Vegeta to the outer regions of the shoddy little Planet. He didn't care who heard him though, because pretty soon the entire Universe would know that Prince Vegeta was now the strongest being in existence. "I have fulfilled my destiny! I have become part of a long line of superior warriors that bore the title of Super Saiya- jin. Now, just as my forefathers did, I will strive to prove that I am stronger than the rest. Kakarotto, I'm coming for you!"  
  
Vegeta let out a hideous laugh that stretched for hours upon end, as time seemed to stop for him, letting him bask in the glory of his transformation. It meant so much to him. The words "Super Saiya-jin" danced around in his head applauding his feat. He couldn't contain his joy; Vegeta began to imagine just how proud his Father would have been if he had lived to see the day when he son became part of a group of special warriors. The one thing that brought this group together was not love, sport or anything like that...It was one common interest; power.  
  
Back on Earth, Bulma's mind continued to wander out into the far reaches of space in a desperate attempt to locate the Saiya-jin she longed to see.  
  
"Goku, do you think Vegeta will return soon?" sighed Bulma negatively.  
  
"Of course he will!" interrupted Dr Briefs quickly. "He's only got enough fuel to last a few more days up there!"  
  
"You're worried about Vegeta?" questioned Goku with a faint smile on his face.  
  
Bulma nodded like a little teenager. Goku raised his left eyebrow as he began to think about Trunks' prophecy. Goku couldn't help but wonder whether Trunks had been conceived yet...Surely not? Vegeta just didn't seem like the Fathering type! He began to remember how he felt at the exact moment Trunks had told him about his Mother and Father. Even now it was still a shock, but love works in mysterious ways or so Goku figured!  
  
Suddenly, something in the back of Goku's mind made him think about Vegeta training out there in space. He pictured him laughing on some far away Planet. The Saiya-jin smiled...  
  
"I've got a feeling Vegeta will return here stronger than ever," smiled Goku. "It's just what we need if these Androids are half as strong as that boy from the future said they were going to be."  
  
The days passed rather quickly, and there was no sign of Vegeta. Bulma quickly became interested in her work once more and figured that she'd never fully understand the man she so dearly loved. The only time Vegeta had only shown any passion or love for her was the day before he left to train in space. The memories of that fateful night came flooding back as Bulma lowered her hand and placed it firmly on her stomach. She smiled.  
  
"Come home, Vegeta!" she whispered softly into night sky. Her words were carried by the atmosphere and sent like a carrier pigeon to find Vegeta. Why did shave have to fall in love with someone like Vegeta? She asked herself time and time again, then the answer came; he was all she ever wanted.  
  
A faint breeze lifted her hair up once more as the stars glistened marvellously in the sky trying to comfort Bulma's aching heart. 


End file.
